Preparation

Cook noodles in a 4-quart pot of boiling water (not salted) 4 minutes, then add snow peas and boil 1 minute. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold running water to stop cooking. Drain well. Divide noodles and snow peas among 4 large soup bowls.

Cook shallots, ginger, and chile in oil in same pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until shallots are browned, 7 to 8 minutes. Add broth and water and simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes.

While broth is simmering, divide roast beef, bean sprouts, and herbs among soup bowls with noodles.

Discard ginger from broth and stir in fish sauce, lime juice, and salt to taste. Ladle broth into bowls and serve immediately.

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Reviews

The advice for the lime helped immensely. The first time I tried this it was good. The second time better. The third time I served to guests and they loved it. Added additional vegetables and sauces on the side. I am a big fan of Pho but it will never compare to restaurants that I visit so if that's what you're looking for, then you need to go out in traffic when desperately need Pho. The Chefs that prepare this dish are trained and the style they serve is scrutinized by everyone so it has to be good. If you need it and do not wish to travel then it is very good. And my guests loved it!!

I love soups and make them all the time for meals. They have the perfect balance of everything for a healthy meal. My family really liked this recipe. My husband loves Vietamese style soups. It reminds him of his college days in the Bay Area where you could get a soup bowl for $3.50. That was a while ago...I like everything about this recipe except the lime juice. I found the amount in the recipe dominated the other flavors. Is this South West or Vietnamese? I would recomend that you eliminate the lime juice and then I would give it a 4.

When I've had a bad day or am sick, this is the recipe I reach for. It's my ultimate comfort food. By adding star anise and real Thai basil it tastes "authentic" enough without having to spend three hours in the kitchen cooking and cleaning as required by the other more "authentic" pho recipes.

I made this soup for a collective dinner with an asian theme. It was enjoyed by everyone. I made a couple of changes. I could not find serrano chile so instead of using vegetable oil to sauté de shallots and ginger, I used chile sesame oil. I also pan-roasted the beef strips a bit to crisp them up. To serve, buffet style, I put the noodles in the broth, the vegetables in a large bowl and the beef in a separate plate. People put the vegetables and beef in their soup bowl and then poured broth over it. It worked!

Has anyone read the text that accompanies this recipe? It never claims to be authentic pho- it's a "version" of it. I've eaten plenty of pho, and no, this is not the real thing. I've made this and it is OK when I need a pho "fix" and don't feel like leaving the house to get it (I use lots of sambal oelek- I know, not authentic). And for the record, I've worked with short order cooks who can whip out meals for 60 people an hour, for 9 or 10 hours at a time (no breaks) and still have the energy and creativity to put together beautiful meals at home. The "authentic" and "amalgamation" issue is rather contradictory, don't you think? As a final note, I live in TX and I don't eat Spam, but a big 'ol "thank ya much" to the enlightened (and obviously more sophisticated) reviewers for adding fuel to the regional prejudice that seems to be so prevalent on this site recently. BTW- I haven't eaten armadillo in months :)

My apology to cooks who love this dish. I'm not a professional chef, but I do know how to make the real Pho. Unfortunately, none of the recipes I've read on how to make Pho is correct. The rule of thumb for making great broth is always use fresh ingredients, and in this case, use ox tails or beef neck bones. Both are equally good for pho in my experience. Also, use plenty of fresh ginger roots (approx. 2-3 rounds, cut in halves) and "whole" onions (1 or 2 will do) for added sweetness and flavor. You'll need to grill or brown them a little to allow the aroma to come out before simmering them in broth. Never use soy sauce for almost any Vietnamese soups, only fish sauce (the expensive kind, either the "three crabs" or "flying lion" brand, if they're available in your area) and rock sugar in place of MSG for taste. Rice noodles are very important as well since it will bring out the texture to your dish. They're usually flat and thin. You can also buy it fresh. As for the sliced beef on top, choose either eye round or tri-tip (high grade for tenderness). To do it right, you'll need at least 3 hours to prepare this dish. For spice, use 3 or 4 dried star-anise and 1 or 2 cinnamon sticks, plus 1 cardamon. There's one other spice that I don't remember the English term, sorry. But don't worry, it will still taste good. You'll simmer all these spices along with the gingers and onions near the beginning (after clearing most residue) with your bones. To keep the broth clear, try to filter the residue as often as you can throughout. Just a note, this is my first comment on Epicurious. I hope my input will help revitalize this authentic dish. Bon Appetit.

Yes, it's not the restaurant version, but hey.... when you're looking for something to make at home that's not really complicated and not the "same old same old", it works.
Remeber, recipes are guidelines. If something works better for you, feel free to amend as needed.

I've never had Pho before, but I love Vietnamese cuisine so I thought I would give it a try. I wasn't thrilled! I'm looking forward to trying it again, but in a restaurant. Who knows, I may have been the problem.

Wow! Never seen such hostility in review, I am chinese and eat with vietnamese families quite often. Not everyone makes there soup with star anise or even beef. There are grandmothers who replace the beef flanks with frozen meat balls but they still call it pho after making it for 30 some-odd years. I make my own without any star anise cause its too strong when i make dinner just for myself (yes I usually eat alone...I'm sure it has nothing to do with my cooking?). And the noodles become way too soggy if left over. Oh, i also add rice, meatballs, hot sauce in soup and eat with oyster sauce.

Hey Pho Nazis, simma down.
I would like to remind all of you "appalled" folks out there that this was a recipe for "Vietnamese-STYLE noodle soup" not Pho. If you put Pho in a recipe query this doesn't come
up so relax folks.
Now go dazzle yourselves with some more of your own self-anointed esoteric food knowledge.

My 14 year old daughter made this several months ago and we all totally loved it - the combination of different tastes (herbs and spices) and texture (soft vs. crunchy). We raved about it. Am making it again tonight so thought would check out the reviews for any improvements and was amazed at the negative reviews. Maybe we just like good tasting food without caring if it connects to the "original" recipe.

Nice recipe but it's not quite right.
(a) 1 tsp of serrano chile is on the light side. There should always be a bunch of chiles on the side as a condiment with this style soup.
(b) There is no star anise in the broth and there really should be. Not much, maybe 1-3 stars, but it should be present.
(c) Should have some additional plum sauce or chili paste as additional condiment.
Peave: The concept of Pho having long cooked beef is simply wrong with one caveat. Pho uses long-cooked tripe or tendon, but any flank or brisket that is present in the soup is uncooked until the steaming hot broth comes in contact with it just before serving.

Based on previous reviews, I gave this recipe a try expecting it to be rather lackluster. I made a few variations based on what was available in the store and was pleasantly surprised when I was done.
I doubled the serrano (leaving in the seeds), added a large clove of garlic during the saute, used regular green onions for scallions, used two tbsp. of fish sauce instead of three and regular packaged sliced roast beef because my local store didn't have a deli.
Granted, it wasn't exactly "gourmet cuisine", but it was a nice, quick, fairly simple meal.

1. This isnt a real pho recipe. It is a quicky pho recipe.
2. To "A Cook", I got news for ya pal, "Vietnamese Pho is an amalagamation of Chinese noodle soup, French boullion and Vietnamese indigenous ingredients.
MOST cuisines are amalgamations of other cultures.
You just showed your inexperience.
What do short order cooks know anyway?
What a clown. You sound mighty racist to me.

Get off the 'authentic' debate already! There's nothing more fun than to tweak a recipe to your own taste (and imagination). I'm Asian-American, love all kinds of 'asian' dishes - pho, pancit, sushi, etc. etc. I truly appreciate all cuisines and collect cookbooks that cover the gamut of styles and types - my husband swears I make the best chicken gumbo around (even after a trip to New Orleans). Anyways - just wanted to pass on information to real cooks out there - check out the 'Spicy Vietnamese Beef and Noodle Soup' also on this website. It's a nice contrast to this (better too I believe).

When I used to live in Calgary, I'd go out for pho in my neighbourhood once or twice a month. Now that I live in East Cowes on the Isle of Wight, I can only dream about making this soup in the summer when I can grow my own cilantro, mint and basil. Can't buy it here in the winter, sigh.

I agree with soya-miso. Each to his own taste bud. Everyone in my VNese family has her/his own version of preparing pho. I would never refuse to try something just because it doesn't conform to what I believe is the "authentic" recipe. Authentic according to whom?

This recipe takes longer to make than my own version, but it's not bad...just different. Each to his own taste bud. As some of the more intelligent have stated, "It's Vietnamese-STYLE."
By the way, I'm VN and like Spam...and I use it as an ingredient in my hot pot. Gasp! Will you now condemn me for not being authentic to hot pot-dom? See ya'll in Austin for Spam Jam!

When I used to live in Calgary I wouldn't have bothered with this recipe since I could go for Vietnamese soup any time... but now that I live in Switzerland this was a taste of heaven! My husband and I loved it!!! I would definetly make it again. I added crab sticks and shrimp to it, simply delicious...

I can buy really tasty pho in almost any neighborhood for about 5 bucks, its on the table in about 5 minutes and I don't have to do dishes after. The only reason I would bother making this recipe is so I could put those super-tasty snow peas in it. Never get those at Vietnamese restaurants. Mmmm...snow peas, love those snow peas.

I'm usually a defender of the "don't feed the trolls" theory myself, but this time I couldn't resist. People who get bent out of shape when their idea of "authetic" is violated are pitiful. This recipe refers to Pho in it's description, but clearly claims that it is merely "pho-esque." I live in Manhattan, eat pho regularly, and I can tell you that each of the 8-10 "authentic" Viet Namese restaurants I eat it at serve different variations. I know pho, yet this recipe does not OFFEND me (because I'm well-adjusted). To Frisco (I know how you hate that!) If you insist on bashing the South - try to at least be clever and original! To Tampa: Emeril is not a GREAT chef - just a LOUD one (and rich!) Eat your food - don't throw it at other people . . . .